Faith communities are rediscovering the theology of hospitality and it is highly related to all of our ministries. We no longer lukewarmly welcome visitors, but enthusiastically expect them. Instead of simply trying to fit them in, we need to plan for the stranger.Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Our celebration is a pledge to unite men and women. It is a pledge to acknowledge our unity in the Risen Lord even at a time when our disunity is manifest whenever we read the daily newspaper or tune in the evening news.Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Of this I am sure: any and every human attempt to express God's self-revelation and our response to that revelation is limited by the simple reality that God is too great for us ever to comprehend much less commit to writing.Thursday, May 19, 2016

We are a people moving toward a faith we have yet to achieve. Our good actions are hints of what we can be. Our lapses and failures are reminders of our continual need to reach beyond ourselves.Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Christian commitment is a willingness to take our place at the foot of Jesus’ cross. There will be nothing for us to do but to be. We may not be able to alleviate physical pain or mental anguish, but we can look to the community around us — at all those willing to proclaim their faith—and by embracing them, relieve their pain. Tuesday, March 15, 2016

February 21, 2016 Second Sunday of Lent. Since most of us are more like Jesus’ disciples than we are like him, it is helpful to look at this narrative from the perspective of Jesus’ followers.Thursday, February 18, 2016

Recent efforts to recreate the magic of the Muppets and “Sesame Street” have not captured my imagination. It seems that every character and song has garnered new meaning. My favorite song still belongs to Kermit. “It isn’t easy being green,” he croons. Despite the various interpretations the words have been given throughout the years, green has always been the color of hope for me. Friday, February 5, 2016

Most people do not have a very favorable view of law. Perhaps that is because we think of it in a restrictive way. Today’s Scripture leads us to see the law found in the Torah and in the Gospel as good news.Friday, January 22, 2016

Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016The Baptism of the LordEveryone needs affirmation in life. When I was a young woman and decided to work in the Church, I waited anxiously for my parents to tell me that I had made the right decision. Their support saw me through those first years and affirmed my initial decision. I had no idea at the time that my choice was linked to my own faith and not simply my parents’ faith in me.Thursday, January 7, 2016

Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015Fourth Sunday of AdventWhere does Marian devotion arise? What fuels it? What sustains it? The intellectual answer might well be articulated from the works of the early Church or the writings of the Church Councils. To take that approach would be somewhat like saying Marian devotion begins in the muscles in our heads. I believe that it is more than an intellectual devotion. Like a smile, I think it begins in the heart – in the core of what makes us the persons we are.Thursday, December 17, 2015

Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015 Second Sunday of AdventWhen I reflect on some of the reasons I like being Catholic, I almost always begin with the simple fact that Catholicism makes sense to me. All the direction I need to live a good life is available to me in the Scripture, our magisterium, and in the example of others. Advent is part of the “sensible Church.” The liturgies of Advent and Pope Francis’ proclamation of a Jubilee Year of Mercy give me a map that leads to the Kingdom.Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the UniverseChrist introduces us to a form of kingship that is alien to our world. In this Gospel, he tells us about his kingship. He is the one whose crown is made of thorns and whose throne is a cross.Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Ever since I moved out of my crib, I have been surrounded by the rituals of farm life and have learned the routine of each season. Over these years of growing in faith, I have found that the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church have a peculiar way of connecting to the seasons of the year.Monday, November 9, 2015

Through school, sports, struggles, friends, and family it's easy to become pulled away and distracted from your faith and relationship with God. If you’re experiencing this, you’re not alone and you can still become recommitted to your faith and relationship with God.